


During Those 7 Years

by legoman7861



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/M, Fairy Tail Seven Year Time Skip, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:35:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 20,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27157361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/legoman7861/pseuds/legoman7861
Summary: When Natsu's injuries sustained in a recent guild brawl with Gray prevent him from participating in this year's S-Class exam, how will he cope with the inevitable future ahead of him without his closest and most powerful Nakama there to guide him every step of the way? More importantly, what does this mean for the future of the Fairy Tail Guild hall? (Legoman7861 from Fanfiction.net)
Relationships: Natsu Dragneel/Kagura Mikazuchi
Kudos: 8





	1. The Life Changing Injury

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Natsu is left behind for the S-Class exams because of injuries sustained from a guild brawl with Gray. How will these injuries and what he learns from a certain scarlet haired mage impact him during the 7 years his closest Nakama are gone?
> 
> Welcome all to my (not so) newest Fanfiction, During Those 7 Years! If you couldn't tell by the title and description already, the plot will involve a split off from the S-Class exam. I use the phrase "not so newest" because this exact same story can be found on Fanfiction.net. The story is doing incredibly well for itself on that site, sitting at 247 reviews, 879 followers, and 796 favorites (at the time of this first update). I don't want to just dump the entire 350K words on the viewers here in one sitting so I plan on updating this from time to time. I hope to get this caught up by the time I finish the original story in a few chapters while I prepare for a sequel! Everything you read on AO3 is the EXACT same as you would read on the original story, so don't fear about me changing updates for you guys (:
> 
> If you don't want to pace yourself and want to blow through the entire 350K words, be my guest! The original link can be found https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12731161/1/During-Those-7-Years 
> 
> I kindly ask that if you choose to leave a review, PLEASE leave that review on the respective website you read the story. For example, if you read Chapter 30 on Fanfiction.net, please don't comment on your thoughts on AO3 when there are only 4 chapters uploaded. We rather not have major plot points spoiled for those wanting to pace themselves.
> 
> With that being said, if you DO want to pace yourself and want regular updates on AO3... I hope you enjoy what's to come!

* * *

During Those 7 Years

"Unless you want to make your recovery process worse, I suggest you keep still." An old woman snarled from across the room.

"But I Have… To make… Him pay!" A pink haired mage argued as he attempted to free himself from his bed restraint.

"That's enough Natsu." An old man scolded from beside the mage. He was currently wearing an orange vest coupled with shorts of the same color. His attire was finished with a pair of brown crocks. "Porlyusica, how long will it take the lad's leg to fully recover?"

"He's lucky that his Dragon Slayer magic gives him extraordinary healing abilities. Give him a few days, and he'll be able to walk on it out of the infirmary."

"A FEW DAYS?! BUT I HAVE TO MAKE THAT ICE PRICK PAY NOW!" Natsu roared as he struggled even harder.

"I said that's enough Natsu! You should be thankful that your injury wasn't worse considering we leave tomorrow on the S-Class exams. Your guild brawl with Gray nearly jeopardized your chances of participation."

"That's all the more reason to beat him to a pulp during the exam!"

"Natsu, when are you going to grow up?" The old man groaned within his thoughts. "Fine, if that's what you desire, you'll need all the rest you can get before your body is pushed to its limits."

"Pushed to its limit?" Porlyusica raised her eyebrow in response as she began to tend to the medical cabinet beside Natsu's bed.

"Well of course, don't you remember when we first participated in the S-Class exams back when we were much younger? Team Makarov barely made it past the first round," The old Guild Master chuckled, "Anyways, we leave for Tenrou Island tomorrow morning. The trip takes an entire day and another day after that just to set up camp. By then, the young lad will be able to participate, according to you." Makarov concluded.

A few seconds passed before Porlyusica stopped tending to the medicine cabinet and responded. "If the Fairy Tail S-Class exams are still pushing its members to its limits… I'm afraid your unruly Dragon won't be able to participate."

A few seconds passed before Natsu broke the silence with a roar. " **WHAT DO YOU MEAN I WON'T BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE?! YOU SAID I WOULD BE ABLE TO WALK IN A FEW DAYS! AND WHO ARE YOU CALLING UNLUCKY?!** "

" **NATSU!** " Makarov boomed which simmered the Fire mage down. He continued to divert his attention to Porlyusica in concern. "Porlyusica, you said that the lad would be back to normal in a few days."

"First off, I said unruly, not unlucky." The old woman reluctantly began to uncover her ears. "Second, I never said that he would be 'back to normal' in a few days. All I promised is that he would be able to walk."

"What's the difference? As long as I'm able to use it I'm sure to win the S-Class exam!"

"You humans are all foolish. I said that you had remarkable healing capabilities, but did you even consider for a second about your own safety?" Porlyusica spoke with a serious tone

"She's right Natsu. You need to consider when you've done all you can and when you're outmatched. For some reason, that sounds like something Gildarts would have told you." Makarov agreed with Porlyusica with slight sadness in his voice as he feared the worst.

"What does that have anything to do with me participating in the S-Class exam?" Natsu began to raise his voice in annoyance.

"I think your old man is beginning to catch on to your situation." Porlyusica concluded from the sadness plastered across his face. "Your fracture will be healed enough to walk on it by the time the S-Class exam comes around. However, I never said anything about you being at peak performance by that time. You'll still need physical therapy to fully seal the fracture that was caused during your fight."

"Just give me the stupid therapy now and get it done with." Natsu groaned.

"Natsu, don't you think she would have already if she could?"

"Listen to the old coot for once. Your fracture is still too severe for me to begin therapy on it. You're going to have to wait until your leg is healed enough to walk on before I can continue. If you fail to heed my warning your fracture could become irreversible to the point where not even your magic will be able to cauterize it."

"No… That can't be true… This was the first year that I was nominated for the exam and you're telling me I won't be able to participate?" Natsu gritted through his clenched teeth. "Can't you move the date of the S-Class exam back a couple of days?"

"I'm sorry Natsu, but that isn't possible. This is the one time that all our S-Class mages will be together. Furthermore, you were the one who placed yourself in this situation in the first place. This could have been prevented if you never attacked Gray in the first place." Makarov stated sadly which crushed all hopes of him participating in the exam this year.

"I only did it because he was talking behind my back at the bar!"

"Then you need to learn to control your emotions. After all, that is one of the qualities of an S-Class mage." Makarov smiled slightly. Porlyusica then closed the medicine cabinet and handed a clear cup of liquid to Natsu, while loosening his restraints slightly to allow him to drink.

"Drink this." She stated before heading to the infirmary's door.

"What is it?"

"It's a painkiller for when your magic runs out. The only side effect is drowsiness, but considering the condition you're in, a good night's rest is what you need to replenish your magic. As I said before Makarov, the boy's leg will be ready for therapy in a couple of days. I'll be back to check up on him around the time you leave for the S-Class Exam.

"So I guess that's it." Natsu muttered under his breath as he reluctantly drank the liquid Porlyusica handed to him.

"Thank you for your help Porlyusica. Before you leave, would you mind calling Erza down here?" Makarov asked. Porlyusica simply nodded in response as she exited the infirmary.

Silence fell between the old Guild Master and the Dragon Slayer. Makarov wanted to comfort and express sympathy for Natsu's emotional pain, but decided not to as he concluded that the young Dragon Slayer's short minded nature would be blaming the Guild Master and his decision for being the factor that prevented him from participating in the S-Class exam.

A minute of silence passed between the two before they heard a knock against the infirmary's door. "Master, you called for me?" A voice was heard from the other side.

"Yes, come in Erza."

As the infirmary door opened, a red haired mage wearing a blue skirt and metallic breastplate entered the room. Master Makarov immediately stood up from his seat beside Natsu's bead and made his way towards the scarlet haired guild member. "Erza, I have a favor to ask of you. You're the only mage here at the moment who I feel would be appropriate to ask this."

"I understand. What is it that you wish to ask of me?"

"I need you to keep an eye on Natsu while I finalize parts of the upcoming S-Class exam."

"I'm more than willing to cooperate, but why not ask someone like Gray? As much as Natsu won't admit it, they're on par with each other in terms of magic potential." Erza knelt down to whisper the last part to the old Guild Master.

"I heard that!" Natsu growled as his enhanced hearing picked up what Erza whispered.

"Let's continue talking outside the infirmary." Makarov suggested as he led the scarlet haired mage back outside the door. "You can close it, just be sure to keep your voice down so we make sure he still can't hear us.

"Continue." Erza stated as she quietly shut the door behind her.

"Anyways, I can't trust those two to not get into another brawl with each other especially considering Natsu's condition."

"What do you mean, Master?" Erza pressed on.

"Natsu's injury is worse than I suspected. Long story short, he won't be able to go on the S-Class exam. He's probably blaming both Gray and me for being the reasons he won't be able to participate, so I was hoping that you would be able to take over for me right now while I go and finalize those details I was talking about." Makarov continued his whisper.

"Consider it done. I have one question, however. Please don't take this the wrong way, but how do you know that Natsu won't give me trouble?"

"I don't. But it's very unlikely he will- he has no reason to. He's upset at Gray and me. As long as you don't mention us, he shouldn't give you trouble. Anyways, Porlyusica gave the young lad painkillers before she left and said that the side effect was drowsiness. He'll fall asleep shortly and will be out cold until morning. Mirajane and the others can then come to visit him before we leave for the exam if he's feeling in the mood to. Thank you again Erza." The Old Guild Master smiled and used his Giant Magic to reach up to Erza and pat her on the shoulder.

"It's the least I can do considering how hectic the next couple of days will be. I'll let you get back to your work now. Goodnight Master. I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight Erza." Makarov sighed in relief as he walked up the staircase to the guild and the scarlet haired mage turned to reenter the infirmary.

As Erza quietly shut the door behind her, she made her way next to Natsu's bed and sat down. A couple of seconds of agonizing silence fell between the two before she took the initiative to break it with the most ridiculous question. "How are you feeling?"

Natsu turned his head in awe to face her and sarcastically stated, "I'm feeling great! I just fractured my leg and learned that I won't be participating in the S-Class exams. Did I mention this was the one year gramps nominated me?"

"I'm sorry, but the silence was just driving me insane." She chuckled.

"It doesn't matter anyway. Porlyusica said the painkillers she gave me will put me to sleep in a bit, so you won't have to be here long."

"Did I ever say I didn't want to be here? Honestly, Natsu, stop jumping to conclusions all the time." The scarlet haired mage said as she crossed her legs.

"For now, that's all I'll be able to do."

"That's the case if you only view the situation you're in from one angle. If you want to talk about what you're feeling, I'm more than happy to listen." Erza suggested as she noticed the pain and hostility within the young Dragon Slayer's voice.

"What other way am I supposed to view this situation? It's over, and there's nothing I can do about it. The only thing I can do in my situation is sit here like the useless sack of crap and watch as one of my guildmates, POSSIBLY GRAY FOR THAT MATTER, get one step ahead of me. I mean, it's like gramps doesn't even care that I'm lying down here and able to do absolutely nothing. He said it himself; I just don't have some of the requirements to be an S-Class mage. That's the only way to see my situation right now!" Natsu yelled in annoyance.

"Natsu…" Erza gasped in shock. "Please, just promise to hear me out until the end?"

"It's not like I can just walk out of here." He huffed in response.

"First off, Master Makarov cares deeply about you. He cares about everyone if Fairy Tail that way. If he didn't, he wouldn't have told me to be here with you." She smiled.

"Then why did he just get up and leave?"

"It might not seem like he cares right now, but he's constantly worried about your safety. He needed to leave in order to finalize some things concerning the S-Class exam."

"Alright… But that doesn't change the fact that I can't do anything about the situation I'm in right now. The S-Class exam is going to happen whether or not I'm able to participate."

"That's true, but I know what it's like to feel helpless."

"HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY KNOW HOW I FEEL RIGHT NOW?" Natsu yelled in annoyance.

"NATSU! JUST LISTEN FOR ONCE!" She yelled back in response. "Remember when I told you about me being held prisoner in the Tower of Heaven?

"I don't see what that has to do with anything."

"Do you remember how I escaped?" Erza continued ignoring his last remark. A few seconds passed before Natsu formed a response.

"Didn't you lead a revolt so you could rescue Jellal since he was captured by some prison guards for protecting you?"

"Perhaps I should have worded my question differently. Do you know why I'm trying to relate to you with this?"

"If I did I wouldn't have yelled at you." Natsu groaned in annoyance.

"I felt useless throughout that revolt because I wasn't able to save two of my closest friends."

Natsu's eyes widened slightly at Erza's change in tone. He wasn't expecting such a serious response and could tell the general direction where their conversation was heading.

"One of them is locked up in Fiore's maximum security prison. The other sacrificed his life in order to save me. The day I led that revolt, Rob used his Fire Magic to absorb an incoming attack that would have killed me if it wasn't for his sacrifice."

"Wasn't Rob gramp's-"

"Yes, Rob was one of Master Makarov's Team Members from when they were younger. After Rob was killed, I felt that the only reason he had to make that sacrifice was because I wasn't strong enough to protect him myself."

"I'm guessing that the person locked up in Fiore's maximum security prison is Jellal?"

"Yes, I also blamed myself for not having the strength and courage to save Jellal. When I finally confronted him, I needed for him to cheer me up like he always would. The least I could have done was rescue him so I knew that Rob's death wasn't in vain. However, I was too late. By the time I came to free him from the captivity of Zeref's followers, he was already brainwashed by their dark magic. He forced me to leave the Tower of Heaven while he used the rest of the prisoners to complete Zeref's will. Up until recently, a thought that has always resided within the back of my mind was how useless I was for not being able to save two of my closest friends. Remember that Jellal was locked up when the Magic Council was able to track down his location when we defeated Nirvana."

"Erza… Aren't you sad? I made a promise to Simon to never let you cry again so if you have any doubt at all, tell me." Natsu asked concerned as he heard Erza recount her tales.

"Under normal circumstances, I would be sad, but as I said before, I was recently able to get over feeling like I could have saved Rob and Jellal if it weren't for me being useless." Erza chuckled at his antics.

"So? What helped you get over it?" Natsu asked in an eager tone hoping that Erza's response would help his current predicament.

"At the time of me being captured by Jellal, I thought that Simon's death was the reason. I felt as though the only reason to repay him for his sacrifice, or anyone else's for that matter, was to commit to the same sacrifice that they had. However, I was wrong. The real reason was you, Natsu." Erza smiled up at him.

"Me?"

"Don't you remember what I told you on the resort beach when you saved me from sacrificing myself to the tower of heaven?"

"I think so. You told me that you shouldn't die for your friends, but live for them." Natsu finished as his eyes widened in realization.

"There's your answer." Erza finished as she sat back in her seat. "You made me realize that all that time, I wasn't useless: that the sacrifices that Rob and Simon made for me were so I could live on in their places."

"What about Jellal? When the Magic Council locked him up, how did you get over that?"

"I realized that that was what Jellal wanted. He realized that spending time in prison was the only way he could repay for his crimes, so I supported his decision even though I didn't agree with it." Erza nodded. "What I'm trying to say is that Simon and Rob sacrificed themselves for a reason. It wasn't until you made me realize that they sacrificed themselves so I could live on with them in my heart did I realize they did so with reason. Does this all make sense Natsu?"

"So you're telling me I'm supposed to be in an infirmary bed while my guildmates surpass me?" Natsu groaned angrily.

"In a nutshell, that's the path you've been led down. As I said before, just approach it from another angle. I mean, I don't go around every day thinking that Rob and Simon are dead. I remember that I live on because of them."

"I still don't understand how that's supposed to help me get passed what's in front of my eyes." Natsu groaned with frustration.

"And that's perfectly fine. You will one day." Erza reassured him with a hopeful smile.

"When will that be?"

"It could be today, tomorrow, or it might take years like me."

"I really hope it doesn't take that long." Natsu's head hung his head in sadness. "Can you promise me one thing?"

"Of course I can." Erza replied.

"I'm not going to forgive Gray that easily. He was talking behind my back and I still think he's the reason that I can't go on the S-Class exam. It's not like I can do anything about it now, but if you end up facing him, kick his ass for me." Natsu finished as his eyes flared up.

"I'll give him hell Natsu. But remember, this could have been prevented in the first place if you didn't attack Gray in anger." Erza chuckled.

"Erza, if I was talking bad about you behind your back would you honestly say you would ignore me?" Natsu asked seriously. A few seconds of silence passed before he spoke again. "I thought so."

Erza realized Natsu was right. After all, it was instinct for members of Fairy Tail to protect their pride.

"What did he say about you that made you so mad in the first place?" She finally asked.

"Stripper said that Igneel wasn't real."

"Again?" Erza sighed

"Igneel was my father. Saying he wasn't real is like saying Rob or Simon wasn't real either. Considering both of them paid the ultimate price for you to live on, do you understand how it feels for me when Gray constantly says that Igneel doesn't exist?" Natsu's face darkened.

"Natsu… You always tell our team about how much Igneel meant to you, but it never crossed me that you live in memory for him. I've always thought of you as someone who would search to the end of Earthland in order to find him again."

"Both of those are true, but Igneel is the reason that I'm even in Fairy Tail today which is why I'm so emotionally attached to him." Natsu meekly smiled. "Hey, Erza? I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" Erza cocked her eyebrow.

"For saying that you couldn't relate to me. Gramps was right; I do need to control my emotions sometimes." He said with a yawn.

"All in due time." Erza smiled as she patted his shoulder. "Those painkillers must be taking their toll. I'll let you get some rest now. If you need anything before going asleep, I'm right here." Erza finished as she leaned back in her chair.

"Goodnight Erza." Natsu finished before closing his eyes.

"Goodnight Natsu." Erza replied. She continued to lean back in her chair and kept herself occupied by occasionally requiping an array of swords and polished them one by one. After 30 minutes had passed, she called out Natsu's name to make sure that he was asleep. "Natsu…. Natsu?" Erza whispered only to be met with silence. She continued to carefully get up from her seat and proceed towards the infirmary's door in hopes that Natsu's enhanced hearing didn't pick up her movements. Just as she was about to close the door, she whispered, "Just remember, even during the most hopeless of times, your future might just be around the corner," before heading back up the stairs to the guild hall.

* * *

Thank you for your time!


	2. Farewell

* * *

During Those 7 Years

"Hey Mira? Do you have any Strawberry Lemonade?" A scarlet haired mage asked while taking a seat at the bar.

"Of course! I'll have it ready in a minute." Mirajane replied to Erza as she fetched a clean glass. "If you don't mind me asking, what'd Master Makarov call you to the infirmary for?"

"He needed to finalize some things for the S-Class exam and wanted me to watch over Natsu in the meantime."

"Speaking of Natsu, is he going to be alright? It looked like he was seriously hurt from that brawl. Gray went a bit overboard if you ask me. There was no reason for him to slam Natsu's leg with that Ice Hammer of his. I mean, it's a hammer, it's going to do a fair amount of damage. Gray could have used any other spell and he would have still won against him." Mirajane asked concerned as she slid Erza her Strawberry Lemonade.

"I fully agree with you." Erza paused to sip her cold beverage. "But Natsu is making a steady recovery and that's the most important thing as of now. As for Gray, he's treading on thin water in my book. I wouldn't wish the emotional pain that he caused Natsu on even the darkest of mages."

"Wait, what do you mean by 'emotional pain?' I thought you said that Natsu was making a steady recovery! Did something else happen?" Mirajane asked worried as she pressed herself against the counter.

"Hold on, It's best that I made an announcement to the rest of the guild before we end up closing." Erza drank the rest of her Lemonade before standing up from her barstool to approach the stage on the other side of the guild hall. As she stood in the middle of the portion of raised platform, many of the random guild members began to quiet down as it was rare for the scarlet haired mage to make an announcement.

In fact, the majority of the guild members were talking about the same subject: _"What happened to Natsu?"_

"Thank you all for quieting down. I didn't want to resort to violence." Erza stated causing all the members to sweat drop. "As many of you already know, Natsu's recent rivalry with Gray landed him in the infirmary. He's making a steady recovery and I'm sure he'll be out of the infirmary in a couple of days." Erza reassured her guildmates Natsu's safety as she took into account the collective sigh of relief.

"So we were all worried for nothing." Mirajane smiled from the bar.

"I wasn't finished yet Mira." Erza paused before continuing. "I don't know a light way to put it… But Natsu's injuries prevent him from going on the S-Class exams with us this year."

The entire guild was speechless at the harsh truth the scarlet haired mage delivered. All the members knew that Natsu was injured in his brawl with Gray, but no one expected his injuries to prevent him from carrying out one of his lifelong dreams. A couple seconds passed by before someone formed a response.

"Wait… So is that what you meant by 'emotional pain?'" Mirajane stuttered in disbelief.

"Yes. Natsu hasn't been taking this news lightly. This was the one year that he was nominated for the exams and he isn't able to participate. He feels completely useless and is borderline heartbroken to say the least." Erza stated with sadness as she remembered the conversation she had with Natsu.

"Why don't we just tell Master Makarov to move the S-Class exams back a couple of days so Natsu can get more time to heal!" Lucy suggested from Team Natsu's table.

"Yea Erza! We should go tell Master right now!" Happy chimed in.

"I wish I could move the S-Class exams, but that's just not possible." A new voice resonated from Fairy Tail's second floor before Erza could respond. As many of the guild members raised their heads to see who spoke, they saw Master Makarov standing on the rail separating them as he recently left his office. "This is the one time that all of our S-Class mages will be together and I need all of them to help with tasks."

"Master Makarov, I assume you're done finalizing everything for the S-Class exams?" Erza questioned.

"Yes, I am, thank you for your concern Erza. It's probably best if I clarify Natsu's situation." The short Guild Master said as he leaped to the stage from his position before continuing. "Porlyusica confirmed that Natsu will be able to walk again in a few days."

"Then I don't see the problem since we could always just pull Natsu along in a wheelchair until then." Happy said with hope. "So why can't we?"

"If that was the case then Erza wouldn't have said that Natsu isn't able to come with us on the S-Class exam." Gildarts sighed from the bar's counter.

"He has a point." Macao frowned as he could tell where this was going.

"Gildarts is right." Master Makarov stated. "You see, when Natsu was hit by Gray's Ice Hammer, his leg was fractured in the process. His Dragon Slayer magic gives him remarkable healing abilities, but he still won't be able to fully heal by the time the exam starts. Even after he's able to walk again, Porlyusica still has to treat him with physical therapy before he can continue any rigorous activity. If Natsu tries to push his leg too hard before he is fully healed, the damage may be irreversible." The old Guild Master cringed as a wave of silence fell upon the guild.

"You're joking." Macao whispered as he lowered his head. Ever since Natsu was little, the pink haired mage would always tell him about how he wanted to become an S-Class mage so he could find Igneel again. If Natsu didn't deserve this opportunity, no one else did either which only lowered Macao's mood.

Other guild members were just shocked at the drastic turn of events for the young Dragon Slayer.

"If… If that's the case, what should I do since Natsu isn't my partner anymore?" Happy began to cry slightly at the misfortune his foster father had encountered.

"I know that you would rather stay with Natsu, but if you wouldn't mind, I would prefer if you accompanied us on the S-Class exam. Since you can use your magic to fly, would you be willing to scout Tenrou Island for me during the exam just to make sure everything is in order?" Makarov offered to cheer the young exceed up.

"Aye sir!" Happy smiled slightly.

"Thank you Happy." Master Makarov smiled before changing the subject. "On the other hand, the reason I came out here was to remind those who are participating in the S-Class exam that we leave for Tenrou Island tomorrow morning. You are expected to arrive here promptly when the guild first opens. Until then, I suggest you all go home and rest up for tomorrow." Master Makarov stated as he made his way back to the second floor of the guild. "I'll see you all in the morning my children." Master Makarov smiled before reentering his office.

Before the guild members could start murmuring amongst themselves, a white haired mage began to speak. "Can we at least see Natsu before we leave?" Lisanna asked as she was worried about her childhood friend.

"Yea! I want to go tell him about how I'm going to help Master out during the S-Class exam!" Happy chirped.

"Natsu just fell asleep so we should let him get some rest for now. If he's feeling in the mood to talk to SOME OF YOU when he wakes up tomorrow," Erza shifted her attention to Gray who was sitting in front of her with the rest of Team Natsu, "Then maybe Master Makarov can let you see him before we depart."

"I don't know why you're looking at me like that. It's not my fault that Natsu attacked me for no reason. He can blame me for the reason that he can't go on the S-Class exam, but I sure as hell don't give a rat's second chance."

"Gray, I know you have a rivalry with Natsu, but you went too far in your guild brawl with him."

"The idiot deserved what came to him for attacking me for no reason."

Erza had enough considering the emotional conversation she had with Natsu. Before Gray could continue, Erza darted towards the black haired mage. " _ **Requip!**_ " She yelled as a metallic sword formed in her hands. Within a fraction of a second, the scarlet haired mage pointed her sword's tip mere inches from Gray's face causing everyone in the entire Fairy Tail guild to gasp and stare in awe.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" Gray yelled as he reeled backwards only to be pressed against the table he sat at.

"Erza! Calm down right now!" Gildarts shouted as he bolted to the scene with Macao and Wakaba at his side.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt him… Yet." The scarlet haired mage muttered towards Gildarts before directing her attention back to Gray. "You will apologize to Natsu for insulting him and talking behind his back. I don't think you have the slightest idea of the amount of emotional pain you have caused him because of your short minded actions."

"Wait… Huh- How did you know I was talking behind his back?"

"Did you honestly forget that easily? Natsu's a Dragon Slayer. He can hear every word that comes out of your mouth from across the guild. He told me everything when I was looking after him in the infirmary!"

"Wait, so Natsu didn't attack Gray for nothing?" The entirety of the guild began to question.

"That is correct. Why don't you tell everyone why Natsu attacked you Gray?" Erza urged the black haired mage by closing the distance her sword was from his neck.

"What do you mean 'why he attacked me?' How the hell should I know what goes through that idiot's brain?"

"Stop trying to act like the victim here. Let me rephrase my question so you can't avoid it, what did you say about Natsu to the other guild members?"

Seconds of silence was all that the guild needed to know that Gray knew something that the rest of them didn't. "I think told them something about Igneel not being real." Gray tried to act confused

"WRONG! You KNOW that you told them that Igneel wasn't real." Erza snarled.

"But Erza, Gray teases Natsu about Igneel's existence all the time." Lucy said from besides her. "I'm not trying to support sides, but I'm just curious why this matters so much to you all of a sudden."

"I wouldn't be talking to Gray right now if this was a normal situation. If he were just teasing Natsu this time around, he wouldn't have whispered it under his breath to other guild members." Erza said. "Gray, don't make me ask again for you to apologize to him. Natsu won't admit it, but he's jealous that you have the opportunity to possibly become an S-Class mage when he no longer does. Not only that, but insulting Natsu's father who he lives on in memory of is no laughing matter."

The majority of the guild hall began to side with Erza. She had a point after all. If Gray was only teasing Natsu, there wouldn't have been a reason for him to talk behind his back. He could have just said it to his face like the countless other times he has. The real question was why did Natsu risk putting himself in the infirmary the day before the S-Class exams.

"That still doesn't make any fucking sense. Can't he just learn to ignore me? I say this crap all the time and he still can't take a hint!"

"This is not about whether or not he could ignore you, it is about trust!" Erza shouted which caused Gray's eyes to widen

"What… What do you mean?"

"I'm talking about Ur!" Erza shouted. "Natsu realized that he could relate to you because of Ur who sacrificed her life so you could live on in her place. Consider this, if you were in Natsu's shoes and you heard him saying that Ur doesn't exist behind your back, how would that make you feel knowing that you know damn well she payed the ultimate price for your safety?"

"Erza I think that's going too far. Ur sacrificed her life fighting against Deliora while Igneel vanished seven years ago along with Metalicana and Grandeeney. They're completely differen- "

"No Lucy… She's right. Natsu has every right to blame me for not being able to go on the S-Class exam." Gray slightly gripped Erza's sword and lowered it slightly as he gritted his teeth. "I not only betrayed his trust and hurt Igneel's legacy, but because he was only trying to defend his father, he ended up getting hurt because of my actions and can't go on the S-Class exam. If I was in Natsu's situation and heard him talking about Ur behind my back, I can't say I would have let him walk away easily."

The entire guild reflected over what the black haired mage said. Each and every one of the members knew it was instinct to defend their pride as apart of the Fairy Tail Guild hall and many began to smile at the scene unfold. Gray was slowly beginning to accept the reality of the situation.

"Don't worry Erza, I'll apologize for fracturing his leg. I was wrong. He does have a reason to be angry with me."

"So what is it you're sorry for?" Erza said skeptically as she didn't draw from her stance.

"I'm going to apologize to Natsu for betraying his trust and because it's my fault he can't go on the S-Class exam. I said something behind his back that I wouldn't want to be said about me and he's the one getting punished for defending himself. Not only that… But I would also want to apologize to Wendy and Gajeel or any other person in this guild for possibly thinking it was alright for me to talk about another person's loved ones behind their backs. Even if it had for me to believe at times that Dragon Slayers were raised by actual dragons, it might be just as hard for you to believe that Ur sacrificed herself to prevent a demon from destroying Fiore."

This caused Wendy who was sitting right across from Gray to blush. "Th- Thank you Gray."

Gajeel on the other hand smirked from the back corner of the guild. "At least you've got the guts to admit you're wrong." He called out.

"I wasn't finished yet." Gray stated. "I also shouldn't have chosen to resort to violence. Natsu would still be going with us on the S-Class exam if only I didn't fight back."

As Gray finished, Erza slowly lowered her sword as she could detect the regret and honesty in his voice.

"You don't need to apologize for that last part." Erza said as she put a hand on his shoulder.

"What do you mean? I got carried away. If Natsu doesn't deserve to be an S-Class mage because he lets his emotions get the better of him, then I sure as hell don't deserve to be one either." Gray chuckled.

"You did let your emotions get the better of you, but you had reason to believe that you were being attacked for nothing and at the end of the day, Fairy Tail mages protect their pride which is all you were trying to do. Plus, if you needed to apologize for getting into a rivalry with Natsu, Mira and I would have to do the same." Erza chuckled towards the white haired barmaid who watched the spectacle unfold from behind the counter. As the guild's atmosphere began to lighten up, Macao left Gildarts to go relax back into his seat at the bar. But before another rowdy guild party could resume again, Gildarts spoke out from Team Natsu's table.

"Alright! I know we're all happy that the situation was sorted out, but you all heard Master Makarov! He suggested we get a good night's sleep before we leave for Tenrou Island tomorrow. You can party all day tomorrow when we leave."

"He's right. It's best if we call it a day and pick up here tomorrow. When Natsu wakes up, you're ALL welcome to say goodbye to him before we leave." Erza directed most of her speech towards Gray as she smiled.

As Gray returned the friendly gesture, the entire Fairy Tail Guild was more than satisfied with the outcome of the event that unfolded and decided to retire for the night after saying their goodbyes as their Guild Master suggested. After all, tomorrow was going to be a long day.

* * *

Scene Change – The Next Day

As Master Makarov instructed, the entire Tenrou group was present inside the guild hall first thing in the morning wrapping up the tasks needed to be completed before they departed. Many of whom wanted to wish Natsu words of encouragement before they left.

Natsu laid on his back on his infirmary bed as he heard a knock at the door. "Come in!" He yelled across the room as he sat up from his position.

"Hey Natsu. Did you sleep well?" A feminine voice chanted as she stuck her head through the door's crack.

"Hi Mira! I actually slept really well even though my leg is all bandaged up." Natsu replied as Mira walked into the infirmary with a tray of food while closing the door behind her.

"I brought you some breakfast."

"No! Get that stuff away from me!" Natsu commanded as he hid his face with a pillow he found beside him.

"Natsu, are you sure you slept well? Since when are you not hungry?" Mira laughed

"I don't care if you have to force me, there's no way in hell I'm eating that infirmary food."

"Oh this? Don't worry! I made this at the bar while the rest of the Tenrou group was eating so you don't have to suffer from the rations Porlyusica feeds you here." Mira smiled as she approached Natsu's bed with the tray and sat down next to him.

"But… I don't have any money on me."

"I told you not to worry about it. Just eat." She instructed as she placed the tray on his lap.

Natsu observed the warm food on his tray that was recently prepared. A large cooked steak, multiple pieces of bacon, chicken, French Toast lathered in syrup and butter, three over easy eggs, sausages, hash browns on the side, scoops of ice cream, and a large cup of orange juice to wash it all down. "You're… You're an angel!" Natsu cried tears of joy causing Mira to smile sweetly.

"Hey Natsu, aren't you angry that you can't participate in the S-Class exams this year?" Mira reluctantly asked hoping she wouldn't ruin the young Dragon Slayer's mood.

"I was, but then Erza was able to cheer me up yesterday before I fell asleep." Natsu smiled as he began to cram down his breakfast.

"I'm glad she was able to!" Mirajane giggled at Natsu's messy eating habit.

"Mph- Anyways, what made you decide to bring me food?" Natsu continued to stuff his face.

"I thought you needed something to cheer you up since I thought you were for not only being able to go on the S-Class exam."

Natsu immediately stopped filling his mouth as guilt washed over him. "Wow Mira… Thanks for thinking about me." He finished by slowly swallowing down whatever food was already in his mouth.

"Don't mention it! You're going to have to go a couple of days without my cooking so you might as well have something good to eat before then." Mirajane began to blush slightly.

"Not unless I marry you. Then you'll have to cook for me every day I come home from the guild." Natsu joshed with the barmaid. Mirajane's face turned a blistering red which thankfully went unnoticed by Natsu as he began to devour more of his food.

"Suh- So what do you plan on doing now that you're not able to go on the S-Class exams with us?" Mirajane stuttered as her composure started to return. Silence fell between the two mages before Natsu responded.

"Honestly… I haven't really given it much thought. Training for the exam has taken up so much of my time lately that all I've been able to think about was finally becoming an S-Class mage."

"I'm sure you'll find something to keep you occupied once the exams are over." Mirajane smiled.

"I know I will. It's like Erza said! There's a reason I can't come with you guys on the exam. Maybe it's just not my time to become an S-Class mage or maybe I just need to approach my situation from a new angle. It could be today, tomorrow, or it might even take years like her before I realize that reason. All I know is that I can't act like I'm a useless sack of crap right now just because there's no reason for me to see right now. That's not going to magically help my leg get better." Natsu finished by letting out a large burp and placing his empty tray next to his bed.

Mirajane was speechless to say the least. She couldn't even laugh at Natsu's eating habits. _"Did… Did Natsu just say something smart?"_ She thought. Before she could comment on what Natsu said, a knock came from the infirmary door which snapped the white haired bard maid out of her trance.

"Come in!" The duo yelled in unison. Without hesitation, the door burst open as a blue blur flew across the room followed by Master Makarov and Natsu's closest friends.

"Natsu!" Happy yelled as he charged into his foster father's lap.

"Hey Buddy! How're you doing?" He asked as he stroked the young exceeds fur.

"Guess what? Master Makarov needs me to go with him on the S-Class exam so he can have me scout Tenrou Island and make sure everything is going as planned! I mean, only if it's okay for me to."

"Of course you can go! I won't be going fishing any time while you're on the S-Class exam because of my leg." Natsu frowned.

"We all wanted to say bye before we left, but Erza wouldn't let us come visit you until we fully loaded the ships, took roll, and checked the first aid inventory." Happy tried to raise Natsu's mood.

"That's Erza for you!" Natsu replied in Happy's joyous tone. During his embrace with Happy, he failed to notice a certain black haired mage approach his bed.

"Umm… Hey Natsu… Are you feeling any better?" Gray reluctantly asked. However, the reaction from Natsu completely shocked him as well as the rest of the Tenrou group.

"Hey Gray! I'm feeling a shit ton better! Do you think you're ready for the S-Class exams?" Natsu said as happy flew back to the Tenrou group.

"I mean… I should be." Seconds passed before Gray continued. "Aren't… Aren't you mad that you can't go on the S-Class exam?"

"Yea it sucks that I can't go and it's not like I'm going to forgive you easily for talking behind my back. But It's like Erza said. I've got to learn to control my emotions. I've only got myself to blame for not being able to come with you guys this year." Natsu sighed as he remembered Master Makarov talking to him about the specific requirements for an S-Class mage.

"No Natsu. It's my fault that you're not able to go on the S-Class exam and you have every right to be mad at me. I talked behind your back and you were only trying to defend yourself. You wanted to vent your anger because you trusted me and thought that we could relate to each other considering both our masters raised us up until they left. When I said that Igneel didn't exist behind your back… That would have been no different than if you said that Ur didn't exist. Natsu, I'm sorry that my short minded action prevented you from coming with us on the S-Class exams." Gray finished with full sincerity.

"You… You mean it?" Natsu stuttered.

"For once, I actually do. What I said to you made me realize that anyone could have said the same thing about Ur. If someone told me that she didn't exist, I can't say that I would just let that slide. You were only trying to defend your pride as a Fairy Tail mage and you were punished because of it. If you could believe it and maybe one day even forgive me, just know that I'm… I'm sorry." Gray finished as the guild members present smiled at

"Who are you and what have you done with Gray?" Master Makarov joked from below the black haired mage.

A silence fell among the Tenrou group as everyone turned to Natsu as they awaited a response. "I'll still need some time to fully get over not being able to go on the exam and find my new purpose in life. But… Thank you for the apology." Natsu smiled.

"Hey, it's a start." Gray sighed in relief.

"Don't let your guard down just yet Ice Pop! Erza promised me that she's going to kick your ass during the exams so there's no way you're becoming an S-Class m age before me."

"We'll just have to see Pyro." Gray smirked at his rival.

"It's nice to see things are back to the way they were. However, I must inform you that we need to be departing to Tenrou Island if we want to be there before we're caught traveling while it's dark."

"Already?" Lucy stated with shock towards the old Guild Master.

"Unfortunately, it's about that time." Master Makarov said as he walked up to Natsu's bed. "Natsu, I left Macao in charge of the guild until we get back. Porlyusica will stop by every morning around this time to treat your leg. I've told her, Macao, Wakaba, Kinana, and Laki to occasionally check up on you until you've fully recovered. Now that you're feeling a bit better about not being able to go on the S-Class exams, you can keep this instead of someone having to watch over you." Master Makarov finished as he handed Natsu a crystal sphere.

"A Lacrima?"

"Yes. If you need anything, hold onto it and you'll be able to transmit your thoughts to either one of those five that I mentioned. And don't hesitate to use it if you need anything. They all volunteered to help you recover an are there if you need them."

"Is that it?"

"That's it." Mater Makarov said as he gripped Natsu' hand besides his bed. "I'll see you soon my child." Makarov started to tear up slightly.

"Whatever you say gramps." Natsu showed him a toothy smile as Makarov's face told him all he needed to need. _"He… He really does care about me."_

As Master Makarov led the rest of Natsu's visitors towards the door, he turned back to the young Dragon Slayer.

"Natsu, please remember what Porlyusica said. Even after you're able to walk, no pushing your body until your leg has underwent physical therapy. That means no using spells until she tells you that it's okay to."

"Whatever you say gramps." Natsu groaned.

"He means it Natsu. Don't think that I won't come back here and teach you a lesson. I'm not afraid to drag Erza with me also." Gildarts jokingly threatened causing the Dragon Slayer to hide himself with his pillow again.

"Anyways, we'll be back real soon Natsu. If you start to feel down, just remember what I told you." Erza smiled.

"You better be ready for when I get back Flame Brain. You're going to have to respect me when I'm an S-Class mage." Gray smirked. Gajeel simply laughed at this as he could hardly take Gray seriously.

"We'll miss you while we're away!" The Strauss sisters tightly hugged Natsu before heading to the door.

"Hugging is MANLY!" Elman roared.

"You better bring me back something from Tenrou Island Wendy!" Natsu joked towards the blue haired mage.

"Oh… Um… I hope you get better Natsu!" She blushed brightly as Carla simply groaned at her antics from her shoulder.

"And what about you Lucy? What's going to happen when I'm not there to save you and Cana during the exam?"

"Shut up Natsu." She pouted causing everyone to laugh.

A couple more seconds of tearful farewells passed before Master Makarov opened the infirmary's door signaling the Tenrou group that it was time to leave. "Alright. It's time to go my children." Makarov softly instructed the group out the door.

"Th- Thanks you guys!" Natsu's eyes started to tear up slightly as he still couldn't believe his closest friends were about to leave him all by himself over the next few days.

As a last second gesture, the old master held his right hand high above his head with his thumb and index finger exposed. This caused many of the Tenrou group members to go teary eyed as they replicated the same action on the other side of the door frame.

With that, Master Makarov returned one last smile towards the young Dragon Slayer before being the last member of the Tenrou group to exit the room. He turned back around in order to close the infirmary's door behind him. The entire time the old Guild Master had a teary smile plastered across his face. As the sound of the infirmary's door closing resounded throughout the room leaving a teary eyed Dragon Slayer with his thumb and middle finger still exposed, Natsu had no idea that this would be the last time he would see the majority of his Nakama for the next seven years.

* * *

Thank you for your time!


	3. Fate of the Tenrou Group

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To me, this chapter felt REALLY rushed for some reason. The chapter might seem near pointless, but I encourage you all to read the second Author's Note towards the end as it gives you a hint to what the reason is for me including it. Just remember, if it's in this story; it has a purpose. If you want to figure the reason out for yourself, then don't read the second Author's Note. It doesn't have any direct spoilers, but it might spoil the foreshadowing (if that even makes sense).
> 
> Lastly, this is finals week for college which means that there won't be an update for a fair amount of days. However, I look forward to posting new chapters over my Christmas Break once I've completed my courses! Regardless, the next chapter is going to be much more entertaining in terms of plot progression (and hopefully a helluva lot longer considering what goes down in this chapter). Hope to see you then!

* * *

During Those 7 Years

As Porlyusica expected, Natsu was making a remarkable recovery ever since he fractured his leg. Natsu rarely used the Lacrima that Master Makarov gave him which surprised those who volunteered to help him. It was even more ironic that night time was the time of day that Natsu had yet to use the Lacrima considering everyone left the guild at that time. Porlyusica still checked up on the young Dragon Slayer every morning to ensure that his leg continued to make a steady recovery.

"Hey Porlyusica? Why aren't you a member of Fairy Tail anymore?" Natsu sat up from his bed to speak to the woman sitting in the chair beside him. The pink haired woman began to rewrap Natsu's leg in a new layer of bandages as she just completed his first physical therapy session.

"What makes you think I'm not?" The pink haired elder sighed at Natsu as she finished rewrapping his bandages only to fiddle with a metallic object beside her.

"I mean, you never stop by to visit. Did gramps break up with you or something?"

"WHAT!" The woman shrieked causing the young Dragon Slayer to reflexively cover his sensitive ears. "LIKE HELL I DATED THAT OLD PERVERT!"

"Alright I get it! Sheesh!" He responded.

Porlyusica began to calm herself down before speaking to Natsu again. "Let me ask you this boy, is Gildarts apart of your guild?"

"Well of course he is!" Natsu defended the S-Class mage.

"Then just because some of your members rarely visit doesn't make them less important than the ones you see on an everyday basis. Master Makarov tells me that Gildarts rarely stops by so does that not make him a Fairy Tail member?" Porlyusica stated bluntly.

"I guess you're right…" Natsu responded before thinking to himself. " _Just because some of your members rarely visit doesn't make them less important than the ones you see on an everyday basis."_ He recited in his mind. His thoughts were interrupted as Porlyusica continued tending to the metallic object in her hand. "What are you doing anyways? You finished checking up on me for the day so I thought you planned on going home since you hate being around humans."

"That's true, but if that old coot taught me anything while I was on his team when we were younger, it's that guild mates don't abandon each other in need." She smiled softly. "You've also proven to me over the past few days that you're beginning to get over not going on the S-Class exams. So, I'm making you a pair of crutches so that you can go visit your friends upstairs."

Natsu immediately threw the covers off his body. "Really?! I can go up to the guild?!" He spoke in awe.

"Only under a few conditions. I'm going to tell your friends that if they see you so much as tap the ground with the toe of your injured foot, you're coming right back down here. Second, if you feel even the slightest bit of fatigue, I'm going to leave a wheelchair upstairs for you to sit on. Other than that, you'll be able to see your friends when I'm done making these."

"Porlyusica thank you so much!" Natsu began to bow repeatedly from his bed. "But… Didn't you say I could walk in a few days?" He slowly began to frown.

"That's one of the reason I'm giving you these crutches. I did promise you that you could walk on your leg in a few days. The truth is, I don't want you thinking that you're able to walk on it and end up causing any reversible damage. I want to make sure your leg is fully healed before you end up putting any sort of stress on it. All the same rules apply for now. Absolutely no walking on that injured leg of yours. Think of it as being cautious." She stated as she continued to work on the crutches. "Makarov said he would be back in a few days. Did he ever give you a specific day?" The old woman digressed from the topic at hand.

"Gramps left three days ago. He said it would take the group going on the S-Class exams the entire day to travel to Tenrou Island. They're supposed to set up camp before nighttime and work on setting up the tasks the next day: that's two days… So that means… the exam started yesterday at this same time!" Natsu exclaimed in awe at how fast time has flown by.

"If that's the case then the soonest I would expect them to return is the day after tomorrow." Porlyusica said as she finished finalizing Natsu's crutches.

"That's no time at all! Anyways, are those crutches ready yet?" Natsu asked.

"They should be. But before you use them, I have a question for you boy."

"Yeah what is it?" Natsu frowned as he just wanted to be able to actively move again.

"Aren't you angry that I'm still not letting you walk?" Porlyusica asked the pink haired Dragon Slayer as she tested both the crutches to see if they would support her weight.

"I'm angry that you're not letting me use those crutches!" Natsu joked before continuing. "In all seriousness, I would be angry. But I'm starting to get over not being able to go on the S-Class exams. The thing is, I was mad that I couldn't walk at first when I realized my fracture would prevent me from becoming an S-Class mage. Now that I know for certain that there's no way can participate because gramps left me here, there's no point in me walking any sooner. I mean, I still want to walk at some point, but I'd be happy to just get out of this infirmary." Natsu finished by flashing Porlyusica a toothy grin.

"If that's the case, sit up at the edge of the bed." Porlyusica instructed as she confirmed that Natsu was being sincere.

"Alright now what?" Natsu asked as he swung his legs off the bed.

"Place your left foot on the ground and shift your weight to it." Porlyusica said as she gave Natsu the crutch for this right arm.

"Okay?"

"Here's the crutch for your left arm. Do both of them fit you?"

"Like a glove."

"Then try standing up using your left leg. You should be able to use the crutches to support your weight and swing your body. Try walking to the door." Porlyusica concluded.

Natsu stood on his left leg and used the crutches to support his body. He slowly did as Porlyusica instructed and got into a rhythm of using the crutches to move his body while his left leg anchored him to the ground. As he approached the infirmary's door, he turned around to be met with the elderly woman approaching him.

"There should be some wheelchairs just below the infirmary staircase. We can fetch one on the way up to the guild hall." Porlyusica offered.

"Aww man! I'm all fired up now!" Natsu yelled out inside the infirmary.

* * *

Back up with the normal guild hall, things couldn't have been blander. Since the Tenrou group departed, there were only 11 active Fairy Tail members still at the guild.

"Who knew how dead this place could be without the Tenrou group here." A blue haired mage sighed from Fairy Tail's bar. He was currently wearing a long white jacket with a black t-shirt underneath.

"Yeah I here yah Macao. They left three days ago and I'm already bored out of my mind." Wakaba said as he scratched his bald spot. He was currently wearing a green t-shirt, orange shorts, and was talking to Macao from the seat beside him all the while smoking a pipe.

Kinana, who was currently serving them, decided to chip in. "Don't be like that! We just opened the guild an hour ago. Maybe we could find something to do later on. We rarely get to see each other because of how big and busy the guild usually is."

"Yeah! And maybe we can ask Porlyusica when she's done if Natsu can come up here with us! Didn't she say that Natsu would be able to walk by now?" Romeo shouted from besides his father.

"That sounds like a great idea Romeo. I really want to know if he's doing alright and if his leg hasn't gotten worse." Kinana smiled with hope.

Before anyone could respond, footsteps coming from the infirmary staircase resounded throughout the guild hall. The guild members present at the time all turned towards the location of the footsteps in silence to see Porlyusica emerging from the staircase with another figure next to her.

"Hey Guys! Guess who it is?!" An energetic voice called from besides her.

"NATSU!" The guild members present at the time yelled simultaneously before bolting towards the Dragon Slayer.

"Guess what? Porlyusica is letting me use crutches now so I can leave the infirmary whenever I want. Now I don't have to bother you with that Lacrima anymore!" He responded.

"Thank Edolas for that!" Macao chuckled before being interrupted by his son.

"Hey Natsu! I thought Porlyusica said that you should be able to walk right now!" Romeo called out as he gave Natsu a fist bump before hugging the Dragon Slayer's waist.

"I didn't want your Dragon Slayer to take any chances. I don't want him to walk on his leg and accidentally cause any irreversible damage. I'm just being cautious until I know for sure that his fracture has healed enough for him to walk on his leg again." Porlyusica answered for Natsu as she set his wheelchair besides the staircase. "I told him that he's free to come and go out of the infirmary as he wishes. I also wanted to instruct you to send Natsu right back down to the infirmary if he so much as touches the toe of his injured foot against the floor. If he gets the slightest bit of fatigue, I'm leaving this wheelchair by the staircase for him so sit in." Porlyusica concluded.

"Thank you for your help today Porlyusica." Macao spoke sincerely to her.

"I'll be back tomorrow the same time as today. If Natsu is lucky, he might be able to walk on his leg by then depending on how well he treats it until I return. If you need anything, you know where to find me." She nodded before taking her leave.

The remaining Fairy Tail members watched as Porlyusica made her way out of the guild. Their stares were interrupted by a purple haired barmaid breaking their concentration. "You heard her Natsu! No walking on your leg!" Kinana chanted from the bar.

"YeahYeahYeah." He muttered causing her to giggle.

"Typical men." Laki shook her head from the outside of the group.

"Anyways Natsu. Now that you're here how about joining me, Macao, Bisca, and Alzack here for a couple drinks at the bar?" Wakaba suggested as he nudged Natus's ribs with his elbow.

"But I want Natsu to tell me about his Dragon Slayer magic!" Romeo argued with.

"Natsu you should help me decide a quest that I can take from the Job Board! You're really strong so you should know the best one for me to go on!" Nab called out from the other side of him.

"Hey Natsu! It's been a while. Show me some of those sick dance moves of yours." Vijeeter politely asked.

"What the hell is wrong with you? He can't even walk on his leg you dumbass!" Max laughed at Vijeeter's stupidity. "Now what he can do is help me run the Fairy Tail Goods Shop. Come on Natsu! It's just the right job for you since you can't stand on your leg. Not to mention the free 'Salamander Advertisement' would be perfect for business." Max finished as his eyes began to glisten.

"Pardon, I suggest drawing a painting so we can remember this moment forever. Oui?" Reedus questioned with a smile on his face.

"Like hell that's happening. He's going to substitute for Levy and become a part time member of Team Shadow Gear!" Jet and Droy announced together.

"Don't forget about me!" Warren shouted. "What Natsu needs right now is to vent some of his recent frustrations using telepathy!"

The guild's calm atmosphere from when Porlyusica was there moments ago turned into a seemingly endless frenzy as everyone began to argue over what they should do with Natsu now that he was able to visit the guild. The helpless Dragon Slayer simply cowered in fear behind his wheelchair off to the corner of the staircase.

One guild member, however, noticed this and took control of the situation before it got too out of hand. " **ENOUGH!** " Macao boomed causing everyone to instantly calm down. "Let's not forget who's in charge here." He stated before focusing his attention towards Natsu hiding behind his wheelchair. "Sorry if we're making you feel uncomfortable Natsu. We're all bored out of our minds and I'm sure everyone just wants to spend some time with you before the Tenrou group returns considering the only time some of us get to visit the infirmary is when you use your Lacrima." Macao frowned as the pink haired Dragon Slayer slowly started to emerge from his hiding place.

The guild members took notice of this and felt guilty for their actions. "Sorry Natsu!" They chanted in unison.

"It's alright guys! I've been wanting to see you guys just as much. Just try to go easy on me. Hopefully by tomorrow, I'll be out of this cast and able to walk again." Natsu finished as he remembered what Porlyusica told him about the guildmates he rarely saw.

"Umm… Natsu? Are you feeling better since you can't go on the S-Class exam?" Romeo asked.

"Romeo!" Macao hissed towards his son across from him before apologizing to Natsu. "Natsu I'm sorry about his outburst. The night we learned that you wouldn't be going on the S-Class exams, Romeo was sleeping. He's wanted to see you ever since but I said he couldn't since Porlyusica didn't want us to visit unless you used your Lacrima. Even still, only those who Master Makarov instructed were able to visit." He finished by frowning.

Natsu simply laughed at Romeo's lack of a mouth filter. "Don't worry about it old man! Erza was able to make me feel better the day before she left for Tenrou Island. Long story short, you don't have to worry about me staying mad over not having the chance to become an S-Class mage." He reassured the guild by smiling warmly.

"Well that's great to hear." Macao sighed in relief as he was glad that his son didn't ruin the Dragon Slayer's mood.

"I've actually been wondering what Gramps is doing now. I mean, the exam should have started yesterday." Natsu pondered to his guildmates.

"I'm sure they're doing fine… Unless they have to fight against Gildarts, Erza, or Mirajane." Kinana winked.

Romeo then blurted out to idolize his role model. "Nuh-uh! If Natsu was there he could take all three of them on at the same time!"

"Of course I would buddy!" Natsu flared up his magic slightly causing the group to back up.

"Let's not get carried away. Don't forget that I'm still in charge Natsu. Master Makarov told me to look after you and that includes you making a safe recovery." Macao warned slightly.

"Whatever you say old man." Natsu groaned.

"So what do you plan on doing while you're up here"

"I actually plan on going to pick up a job from the board. Not for now though. I want to be able to get back to my regular routine once Gramps and the rest of the S-Class participants return from Tenrou Island which is when my leg should be better."

This time, Bisca decided to chip in. "Natsu's planning ahead?" She stated in awe.

"It's like he's a whole 'nother person!" Alzack agreed besides his crush.

"Honestly, I'm trying to do anything at this point to keep me busy." Natsu sighed.

"Same…" The entire guild groaned in unison.

"If that's the case, how about Romeo, Nab, Jet, and Droy come with me to the Job Board? I can give Nab and Team Shadow Gear some tips on picking a job and tell Romeo about my magic! Then we can talk at the bar if anyone wants to. Plus, we'll have tomorrow to do whatever you want since I'll most likely be able to walk again!" Natsu offered.

"Sure thing. We can just get drinks later on so you don't have to walk around drunk." Macao laughed.

"Alright it's settled then. C'mon Romeo we're going to go help these guys get a job!" Natsu gestured towards Nab, Jet, and Droy before moving from the infirmary's staircase to the Job Board. The group surrounding Natsu slowly dissolved and resumed their normal activities. As the small group approached the Job Board, the pink haired Dragon Slayer turned around to face the three mages in front of him. "So all you really need to know is the basics. Start by telling me your strengths Jet and Droy."

Without hesitation, Jet responded. "We work really great as a team. When Levy is with us, the three of us rarely get into arguments and we can get jobs done fast, clean, and easy." He smirked with confidence.

"Is that true Droy?" Natsu questioned.

Droy nodded in response. "Every bit of it. The problem is that Levy isn't with us right now so it's really tough for the two of us to go on jobs." Droy finished by frowning.

Natsu responded with a sizeable amount of feedback that wasn't expected from either of them. "That's good and bad. It's good that your team values its members and can't function to its full potential without one of your members, but your strengths shouldn't rely solely on one mage. What I'm trying to say is that you should still be an efficient team without one of your members. Should you be at your highest potential? Absolutely not, otherwise you would be carrying around dead weight. I would recommend improving your overall qualities that support Levy so that when she isn't with you guys, you can at least coordinate those strengths to your advantages with each other." Natsu finished with confidence. "Does that make sense?"

The look on Jet and Droy's faces were of complete shock as if they received some revolutionary advice. If they knew Natsu was this gifted in team based knowledge, they would have come to him a long time ago for help when Levy wasn't around.

"Yuh-Yeah Natsu. Thanks." The duo managed to stutter before going blank again.

Natsu smiled before directing his attention towards Nab. "Anyways, what seems to be your problem Nab?"

"I just can't choose the right job! They all look tempting and I don't want to choose one that I goof up on and end up wasting my time. That's why I need to find a job only I can do."

Natsu sighed before answering Nab. "All I can say is that you can't be worried about goofing up. How many times do I return to the guild with my team only for them to blame me for the majority of their loss in Jewel shares? Hell, even Gildarts goofs up. I mean, Magnolia Town needed to be reconstructed just so he can walk through the city without destroying it!" He finished which caused a wave of confidence to wash over Nab.

"Yah know what…? You're right Natsu! I'm going to pick this job that I had my eye on for a while!" Nab told the Dragon Slayer as he ripped a flier off the Job Board and showed him.

Natsu scanned the print before responding. "This is perfect for you Nab! The reward is enough to live on comfortably for a couple of days. Not only that, but the client needs the bandits brought to him without any major injuries. Your large body would be perfect for 'persuading' those thugs to follow along with your orders." Natsu finished as he nudged Nab towards the end.

"I'll be sure to go on it right when the Tenrou group gets back. Master Makarov isn't going to believe it when he sees I finally accepted a job request!"

Natsu shot Nab a toothy grin before turning to Romeo who was standing off to the side. "Alright guys. If you need anything else, I'm going to take Romeo to the bar and talk with his father for a little bit." The Dragon Slayer then waved to the trio which snapped Jet and Droy out of their dazed states as they quickly waved back. "Sorry for the wait buddy. Now that I helped these fellows out, ask me anything about my magic! I can just pick a job later." Natsu offered as he began to lead Romeo to the bar.

Romeo was simply gaping in awe at the recent conversations. "You've already taught me so much stuff about teams and jobs! I want to think about what you taught me before I learn about your magic." Romeo finished by jumping up and down in excitement.

"That's great Romeo! But are you sure you don't want to learn about my magic?"

"We can do it later when your leg gets better. That way you can give me a demonstration!" The child anxiously suggested.

"No problem!" The pink haired Dragon Slayer nodded in affirmation as he continued to lead the young boy along with him,

As Natsu began to approach the bar with Romeo, he began to tune into the conversation that Macao and Wakaba were having with Alzack, Bisca, and Kinana thanks to his enhanced hearing. The conversation Natsu picked up ushered a wave of fear, anxiousness, and even betrayal over him even though he didn't know the what the group was talking about.

* * *

"Macao! How can you say that?! He's always been there for us when we needed him!" Bisca hissed towards the blue haired mage.

"I'm not saying that he hasn't been there for us when we needed him. We're all Nakama, and it's best that you remember that damn well Bisca." Macao argued beneath his voice.

"Then I don't see what the problem is. Everything is fine the way it is." Alzack responded as he continued to lean in towards the center of the group and sip his ale.

"Wakaba agrees with me. Don't yah?" Macao turned to his left for support from his lifelong friend.

"Hold up! I never said I didn't agree with you, I'm just saying that you can't tell Natsu of all people about this. He wouldn't understand!" Bisca corrected the blue haired mage.

"Sorry Macao, but I'm with Bisca on this one. You can't just tell Natsu about this. He'll be heartbroken. Who knows how he'll react." Wakaba stated before the group heard a sound.

" **Click… Click… Click…** "

"Is that what I think it is?" Wakaba hurriedly questioned.

"Natsu's coming. Please don't bring this up with him." Kinana warned as she had a frontal view of the Dragon Slayer since she was working the bar's counter.

"Listen to Kinana. The girl has more of a brain than you." Bisca jokingly spat with slight malice.

"I'm sorry Kinana, but this is something Natsu should hear for himself." Macao apologized to the preteen before sitting upright awaiting the young Dragon Slayer's arrival.

* * *

Natsu quickly diverted his attention back to Romeo before speaking. "You know what Romeo? You should go look for Laki or Warren and hang out with them since you haven't spoke to them today. Tell them that I said hi." Natsu finished as he ruffled the young boy's hair.

"Okay Natsu! Don't forget that you promised to show me some of your magic when your leg gets better!" Romeo said before skipping off in the other direction.

As the small child turned around, Natsu sighed in relief. " _Whatever they're talking about at the bar, it's best if Romeo doesn't get caught up in the middle of it."_ With that, he slowly transversed the remainder on the distance between him and the bar. After walking the entire length of the guild, he attempted to make his entrance as obvious as possible in order to not make it seem as though he was eavesdropping. Natsu began to make the sound caused from his crutches hitting the guild floors surface more obvious which caused the group sitting at the bar to slowly move back into their upright positions.

Natsu was now standing directly behind the group sitting in a line at the bar as he made his entrance. "Hey guys! What are you talking about?" Natsu asked with slight worry in his voice fearing that his Nakama were talking behind his back similar to how Gray did.

"Natsu! Come and sit down in the middle of us. We've got something we want to talk to you about." Macao smiled as he offered Natsu his seat by standing up from his barstool and moving to the one on the other side of Wakaba. All the while Bisca snuck him a dirty glare at what he just suggested before smiling towards the Dragon Slayer.

Natsu began to slowly ease into the conversation as he sat down and placed his crutches off to the side. "Can you believe it's already evening? It's probably night time at Tenrou Island. I bet you all that Freed is our new S-Class mage. The guy is a lot stronger than he looks." Natsu shared his opinion while putting a fake smile on his face.

"My Jewels are on Juvia. Apparently she gave Gray a run for his money when she was still apart of the Element 4." Bisca chimed in as she tried to take Macao's mind off their original conversation. To her dismay, Macao wasn't the one she had to worry about anymore.

"I get what you're saying but Juvia's still pretty new to the guild. There's still a ton she doesn't know about our magic, strengths, and weaknesses so that might end up costing her the exam." Natsu offered the group his opinion before continuing. "So what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?" Natsu reluctantly questioned which instantly drained the smile from Bisca's face.

"Natsu, we wanted to talk to you about something that's been on our minds lately." Macao stated as he looked into Natsu's eyes.

"Alright that's enough Macao, don't make a scene right now. I already told you not to tell Natsu about this." Bisca gather the courage and scolded him in front of the Dragon Slayer.

"Bisca, stop making him think this is bigger than it is." Macao sighed.

"He's right Bisca. Let the guy share his opinion if he wants. You even said that you agreed with him to a degree." Alzack said as he put a hand on her shoulder.

"That's not the point. Remember what I told you I was worried about in our conversation? He won't understand." Bisca momentarily directed her attention towards Alzack.

"Macao, listen to Bisca. Think about this before you tell him." Wakaba warned.

At this point, Natsu was beyond scared. What was so important that they couldn't tell him or even understand for that matter? They were Nakama after all. The only thing that they couldn't tell him was if it had to do with him himself.

"Tell me." Natsu stated with a startling calm tone. "I can handle going on the S-Class exams as of now, so I can handle whatever it is you have to say to me. It's not like you can back out at this point either. I've already heard too much."

"There's your answer, Bisca." Macao said as he focused his attention back to Natsu causing Bisca to rub her temples as she anticipated the worst. "Natsu, we were all thinking the same thing for some time now but were debating on telling you since we didn't know how you would react or even understand what we're talking about. Don't worry, you're absolutely entitled to your own beliefs. I just wanted to see if you could relate to the 5 of us."

"Go on…" Natsu encouraged Macao as he anxiously fiddled with his fingers expecting the worst.

"Natsu, it has to do with how the Tenrou group and Master Makarov view-"

Before Macao could continue though, the entrance to the Fairy Tail Guild hall burst open which instantly interrupted him mid sentence.

" **Shh- DOOM!** " The doors made as they were flung open. The group at the bar as well as every other Fairy Tail member immediately diverted their attention to see who made the outlandish entrance as a deathly silence fell between them. Once their eyes slowly began to adjust to the glare coming form the evening's sun, they were able to identify two men slowly walking into the guild hall.

"I apologize for the unorthodox entrance, but this is a state of emergency." One of them bowed and broke the silence. "My name is Lahar. I serve under the-"

"Magic Council." Macao completed the sentence as he took into account the attire the men were wearing. They were both wearing the same long blue jacket that went past their wastes. Their shoulders and parts of their sides were covered by a white garment that was fastened just below their collarbones.

"Precisely." Lahar responded before directing his attention to the man next to him. "This is my subordinate,-" Before he could continue, he was once again interrupted by one of the guild members.

"Mest?!" Natsu exclaimed as he leaped out of his barstool and supported himself with his crutches. "What are you doing dressed up as the Magic Council? Aren't you a participant in the S-Class exam?"

"Yes." He briskly answered as he avoided eye contact with the guild members. "Please give my superior and I a chance to explain ourselves before you react. My real name isn't Mest, it's Doranbolt and I am a member of the Magic Council. I was operating under the alias of 'Mest' and a member of Fairy Tail in order to infiltrate Tenrou Island. Our superior, Gran Doma, entrusted me with this so he could find some reason on Tenrou Island to disband Fairy Tail."

The entire guild roared in response. " **WHAT!?** "

"I'm sorry, but Lahar and I were following orders." Doranbolt stated. "We have no intentions on being your enemies."

"So I guess you're here to disband us because you found a reason to?!" Macao spat as he began to clench his fists in anger as he felt betrayal wash over him.

"We are not here for that reason." Lahar interrupted. "As I said before we are here because there is a state of emergency. Have any of you heard of both Zeref and Grimoire Heart before?" Lahar finished speaking which caused Doranbolt to tense up as he knew what was to come.

"Yeah Master Makarov mentioned them a couple of times. Zeref is considered the most evil mage of all time and Grimoire Heart is a Dark Guild apart of the Balam Alliance. The only thing I know about them is that their Guild Master is some guy by the name of Master Hades and their strongest team is the 7 Kin of Purgatory. What about them?" Wakaba growled.

"Grimoire Heart led an attack on Tenrou Island at 1200 yesterday: shortly after the annual S-Class exam began. Their motives were to use Tenrou Island to resurrect Zeref as well as eliminate the most powerful Fairy Tail mages once their presence was discovered on the island." Lahar continued which only caused Doranbolt's chest to tighten.

The guild hall was in a state of shock to say the least. Romeo, who long made his way from where Warren and Laki were standing towards the Magic Council representatives, was able to speak out as he had full confidence in the Tenrou group's safety. "If that's the case… Fairy Tail had to win! Nothing can take them down… Right?" Romeo slowed down his speech as he slowly lost confidence.

Natsu was able to gain his composure and yell: completely ignoring the fact that Romeo was present. "BULLSHIT! Only Gramps knows where Tenrou Island is. How was Grimoire Heart supposed to find out where it is?"

Macao supported Natsu with hope. He didn't care that they were cursing in front of Romeo. At this point, very little was making sense. "Yeah! How do we know this isn't just so we react in a way that gets us disbanded?"

Lahar answered Macao by responding to the Romeo's question. "Because the Tenrou Group was able to prevent Hades from resurrecting Zeref. It was a close battle, but they were able to prevail and remain victorious over Grimoire Heart. As farfetched as this sounds, it was revealed by Master Makarov that Hades was the second Fairy Tail Guild Master.

"I KNEW THAT FAIRY TAIL WON!" Romeo shouted as he punched the air in excitement.

"I guess we have to believe him if the Tenrou Group won. Right?" Wakaba questioned.

The next part Lahar stated shocked them all again into a state of awe. "I wasn't finished yet. This is where Zeref comes in… Zeref himself couldn't have been resurrected… Because he was already living on Tenrou Island at the time of the S-Class exams. Doranbolt overheard Zeref saying that he thought that Fairy Tail wouldn't be able to win against Grimoire Heart so he said one word… 'Acnologia.' I'm assuming you've all heard the name Acnologia before?" Lahar paused to survey the guild's reactions. However, the majority still had emotions of betrayal and anger written on their facial expressions from Mest's previous confession.

Natsu, on the other hand, was able to keep up with the two Magic Council representatives and slowly began to realize the situation at hand. "Acnologia? You mean that black dragon that stopped Gildarts from completing his Century Quest?"

Lahar took this as his cue to continue. "Precisely. Zeref knew how power hungry Acnologia was. The dragon would have stopped at nothing to claim Zeref's life for his own ego. If it meant that the Tenrou group could possibly die in the process just so Zeref's power could be sealed away, he was ready to take those chances. A day after Fairy Tail's victory over Grimoire Heart, Acnologia appeared on Tenrou Island to kill Zeref by destroying Tenrou Island all together for good measure. By that time, it was too late, Grimoire Heart was already defeated and had fled. There was no need for Zeref to have summoned the black dragon. Acnologia was ready to destroy Tenrou Island if it meant he gained reputation and power."

Natsu froze as he heard Lahar claim why Acnologia appeared on Tenrou Island. Before someone could call Lahar out, the Dragon Slayer stated in a low voice. "He's not lying. Remember when Gildarts returned from his Century Quest to help with the S-Class exam? He said that he was forced to return because a black dragon critically injured him which prevented him from completing it."

Romeo on the other hand was too short minded to come to the same conclusions as Natsu. "Natsu! this is your chance to find Igneel again! Maybe the black dragon knows where he is!" He bounced in joy of possibly meeting a dragon.

"Romeo… Gildarts told me that this black dragon was different. The dragon's eyes were cold and he had no intention on talking to him. The only thing the black dragon told Gildarts was his name… Acnologia." He began to shudder and lose his composure at the thought of such a monster.

"So then what's the problem if Grimoire Heart was already defeated?" Wakaba sighed in annoyance.

"Wuh- Wakaba… Why do you think Lahar and Doranbolt came to tell us about Acnologia if Gramps could have done it once he got home or over Lacrima?" Natsu rhetorically asked as tears slowly began to run down his face as he feared the worst.

"Natsu… Natsu seems to be catching on to the outcome of Acnologia appearing. I tried… I tried convincing them that they were outmatched. I told them that- that they had to retreat with us before Acnologia came. But they… They wanted to stay and fight for the rest of Fairy Tail and protect Tenrou Island." Doranbolt slightly gasped for air for he was unable to continue as his time as a Fairy Tail mage made him emotionally attached to the guild.

Instead, Lahar continued for his subordinate. The next words that came out of his mouth changed the magical world forever which caused Natsu to completely fall onto the guild's floor. "In order to ensure that Grimoire Heart couldn't resurrect Zeref, Zeref ordered Acnologia to destroy the entirety of Tenrou Island to confirm that there was absolutely no possibility of a successor who would take advantage of his powers. The Tenrou Group fought valiantly against Acnologia after Grimoire Heart was defeated to fend off from their new enemy, but inevitably fell to his strength in the end. I am sorry to inform you that Tenrou Island, as well as your closest friends and family, no longer exist."

* * *

Thank you for your time!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Something that Porlyusica told Natsu is going to directly tie into what Macao was discussing at the bar and that's going to shape the outcome of a pivotal decision (see if you can figure out what Porlyusica was talking about). So, what was Macao talking about at the bar? Was it about Natsu? Is there going to be a repeat with what happened with Gray? Stick around to find out!


	4. Understanding Each Other

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with another update! I was actually able to write large portions of this chapter (themes and major plot progression) during my week of finals so I was able to knock this one out today. Now that it's the end of the semester for my college classes, I'll be able to update more frequently if I get the opportunity!
> 
> Lastly, I plan on posting two Author's Notes with most chapters now. If you see a second one at the end, it most likely will recap themes, plot progression, and certain character interactions. HOWEVER, there is a possibility that I might kill some foreshadowing and spoil some themes that I encourage most of you to find out on your own. Essentially, read the second Author's Note if and mostly if you're totally confused about what's going on as it might benefit your interpretation.
> 
> Once again, thank you so much for your support. On with the Fanfiction!

* * *

During Those 7 Years

"NATSU!" Macao's yelled as he knelt besides the Dragon Slayer sprawled on the floor. "What the hell were you thinking?! You could have hurt your leg if you fell on it." He scolded before directing his attention elsewhere. "MAX! GET HIM HIS WHEELCHAIR!" He barked towards the closest person to where it was located. Macao continued to provide comfort for Natsu as the unfathomable events began to sink in for the other guild members. All the while max hurriedly pushed the wheelchair towards Dragon Slayer in distress.

"No… Tenrou Island is still there as usual… This is just some kind of screwed up nightmare. I JUST HOPE I WAKE UP SOON!" Wakaba yelled as he fell to his knees succumbing to his emotions by the bar. All the while Natsu thrashed within Macao's comforting arms similar to how a baby does.

"LET GO OF ME! I NEED TO SEE TENROU ISLAND FOR MYSELF!" Natsu fought in denial of the events that unfolded even though he knew the inevitable outcome of his Nakama.

"Natsu… Please listen to me. You said it yourself… They're gone. Stop being irrational about this." Macao said as he hushed the weeping mage as the wheelchair was left beside them.

"I'LL SLAUGHTER THE BASTARD WHO KILLED OUR FAMILY!" Natsu roared over the guild causing Macao to squeeze him tighter. "I don't get- get it." Natsu hiccupped nearly losing his voice. "Erza told me there was a reason for me not going on the S-Class exam. WAS THAT REASON TO WATCH MY NAKAMA DIE?" He questioned out of anger and frustration. Many of the other guild members began to break down in tears at the harsh words the Dragon Slayer was using to describe the situation.

Back towards the center of the guild, Lahar signaled Doranbolt that it was in their best interests to leave without parting words. It was appropriate to do so since the guild obviously needed time to themselves as family.

"Can you give me a minute?" Doranbolt whispered to Lahar as he passed by.

Lahar quickly debated in his mind before responding. "They need time to themselves Doranbolt. We're here to do our jobs."

"Does that include being a heartless bastard? They trusted me. The least I can do right now is owe them an apology."

"Fine, I can see you're emotionally attached. Only this once, and make it quick." Lahar stated as he took his leave.

Once Doranbolt confirmed Lahar was out of earshot, he began to speak out loud to the mourning guild. "I- I really am sorry. I should- I should have dragged some of them off Tenrou Island with me and carried them onto our ship. I should have stayed longer. Your friends trusted me as a Fairy Tail mage. They thought they could relate to me when the whole time I lied behind their backs for my own benefit as a Magic Council representative. I tried making it up to them by begging Lahar to stay on Tenrou Island longer to get some of them home to safety."

"If… If you really want to help us during our time of need, leave our guild hall now." Natsu gritted from Macao's arms as Doranbolt's apology reminded him of Gray's.

"I promise to leave. Please just accept these and view them at your earliest convenience." Mest said as he approached Macao to hand him a Lacrima and a small piece of parchment.

As Macao put them in his jacket's pocket, he diverted his attention from Natsu only to stare into the eyes of Mest before speaking. "Master Makarov left me in charge. I might not have control over the Magic Council, but I suggest you leave our guild hall." He said with slight malice.

"Thank you for understanding." Mest finished before taking his leave. Even after the two Magic Council representatives departed, all the guild members continued to mourn the saddest day that any of them had experienced.

* * *

Hours had passed since Lahar and Doranbolt left. Kinana had her head down on the counter's bar and Natsu had long stopped thrashing in Macao's arms and was sitting in his wheelchair. He was staring straight up at the ceiling as he was still in disbelief. Wakaba was on his knees in the same position he fell in while Team Shadow Gear was using the Job Board to support them. Romeo was still bawling his eyes out next to Laki and Warren who were trying to offer him words of encouragement by patting his back. Everyone had lost someone important to them and no amount of tears could express the sadness that they were all experiencing.

Out of nowhere, Romeo continued to sniffle as he raised his head and called out to his father who was beside Natsu. "Duh- Dad? What did that guy from the Magic Council guh-give you?"

"Let me check…" He said as he fished through his pocket for the small document. "They- They told us to read this at our earliest convenience." He hiccuped before clearing his throat while smoothing out the paper. "To the members of the Fairy Tail Guild hall," He began, "Since Master Makarov is unable to fulfill his duties as Fairy Tail's Guild Master considering his disappearance along with Tenrou Island, the Magic Council requires that a new Guild Master takes his place. I hereby give you permission, as a Magic Council representative, to enter your former Guild Master's private quarters in order to retrieve the Will and testament he has written. From, Doranbolt." Macao finished as he continued to scour the paper skeptically. "Sounds simple enough. But… Why is he helping us of all people? He doesn't care about Fairy Tail. All he needed to do was make sure that Fairy Tail was disbanded so we can't interfere with the Magic Council."

This time, Warren decided to chip in from beside Romeo. "That's a good point Macao. Now, what was that other thing he gave you?" He asked intrigued while wiping the dry mucus from his face.

Macao stuttered as he tried to fish the other object out of his jacket's pocket. "OH! Err… He gave me this Lacrima."

Natsu's face began to shadow in hatred and pain as he thought it was the recording of the events on Tenrou Island. "Is… Is that what I think it is."

"I don't think so." Macao reassured him. "Lahar said that the original recording from Tenrou Island had its audio corrupted. This one seems to be just fine." Macao concluded as he examined the crystal sphere in his hands.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Play the damn thing. We've already hit rock bottom." Jet and Joy sobbed at the loss of their valued team member.

"Here it goes." Macao said as he projected the sphere while ignoring Jet and Droy's negative comment.

In the middle of the projection sat Doranbolt without his Magic Council uniform on.

"Hello to whom might view this," The recording began, "I assume by now you've been notified with the faith of the Tenrou Group. My name is Mest Gryder, and I am a mage of Fairy Tail. As of this recording, I'm currently heading back to the mainland from the events on Tenrou Island. Gran Doma is planning to use the disappearance of the Tenrou Group as a means to disband Fairy Tail. Although he can't disband Fairy Tail directly since he has no reason to, he's currently planning on Fairy Tail inevitably having to dissolve due to not being able to support itself. Now that one of the strongest guild masters in the world has vanished, there's going to have to be a successor to take his place in order to prevent Fairy Tail from dissolving. If you fail to do this in the next 30 days by formally notifying the Magic Council in person of your decision, Gran Doma reserves the right to automatically disband Fairy Tail. Furthermore, if Master Makarov has left Fairy Tail with a Will and Testament, I give you permission as a Magic Council representative to search through his personal belongings for it. As of the day of this recording, the 30 day grace period for determining Fairy Tail's new master has begun."

Mest paused to look around the room he was recording in when he heard footsteps in the distance. He then began to speed up his speech. "Fairy Tail, I speak to you as a guildmate and not as my alias. There will be a time to grieve upon our lost family and to remember them for the sacrifice that they made today, but now is not the time. I understand that this is a sudden change to your guild hall. As for me, Master Makarov instructed me to stay in the Magic Council to protect my identity. I will be watching over you from afar by gathering Magic Council intel and updating you every so often. Fairy Tail, I wish you the best of luck." With that, the Lacrima returned to its crystal state.

There were multiple emotions spread across the entire guild. Some members such as Macao and Natsu were shocked that Mest would go this far to ensure the safety of their guild. After all, he was a Magic Council representative. If his superiors ever found out about these recordings, he would be tried for treason without a doubt.

Others, such as Wakaba, had more questions than answers and completely ignored the fact that Mest was putting his life on the line for the benefit of Fairy Tail. "Gran Doma basically won then. What's going to stop him from just turning down every member that asks to be Guild Master? Who's going to be the next Guild Master anyways? What would Master Makarov want us doing right now? And... Now that I think about it, how the hell was a dragon able to destroy Tenrou Island when we had two Dragon Slayers at the time?" He started spewing questions in an endless stream.

"Calm down Wakaba. I think we can all agree that our first step is to destroy this Lacrima. Mest is already risking his life sneaking information from the council to us."

"I'm still not going to forgive that guy easily. He should have put our family before some identity."

"Wakaba, Master Makarov ordered him not to. Plus, he did everything he could to get them off Tenrou Island."

This time, Natsu interrupted from his wheelchair. "But… But that bastard decided to kill our family. It… It only makes sense if we settle the score." He began to chuckle with a maniacal tone as he referred to Acnologia.

"Natsu, I know you're upset. You heard what Mest said. We need to figure out this mess in front of us. Plus, you're in no condition to fight. Physically and emotionally, we're all drained." Macao responded.

"But I'm a goddamn Dragon Slayer! I should be able to kill Acnologia with my eyes closed."

"Natsu, you're not thinking rationally now. Remember what you said earlier when Lahar and Mest were still here? You said that Acnologia was able to end Gildart's Century Quest. I hate to say it, but if Gildarts couldn't stand a chance against that monster, I doubt Gajeel and Wendy would have done any better." Macao grimaced which caused Natsu to clench his fists at the truth.

Wakaba decided to intervene with Macao again. "Now how do you know that Gran Doma isn't going to turn down every member we send to the Magic Council?"

"He might be chairman to the Magic Council, but if he needs a valid reason to disband Fairy Tail, I'm sure he's going to need a valid reason to reject our decision."

"Anyways, how do we know we can trust Mest in the first place?"

"Well... I didn't really see anything in the recording that he would necessarily need to lie about." Macao said while stroking his stubble.

"What about Master Makarov's office? What if Mest just set us up and we go in there to see if Master Makarov wrote a Will and they disband Fairy Tail for invading private property?"

"You mean the private property that belongs to us? Plus, Master Makarov isn't with us anymore. He can't tell us that we can't go through his personal belongings. We can't act like the Magic Council has any more control over us then they did a couple days ago. If anyone wants to come, I'm going up to Master Makarov's office to see if we can find anything to help us." Macao firmly concluded as he walked towards the staircase to the second floor.

"At least take me with you." Natsu grumbled from beside the staircase as Macao passed him.

"Only if you're feeling better enough to use your crutches again." Macao offered as he handed the metallic devices to him.

"I can't say any of us are feeling emotionally better. But if you're concerned about me being able to move, I'll be fine." Natsu grimaced as he stood up from his wheelchair and used his crutches to support him.

Macao nodded before signaling for the rest of the guild members present to follow him to the second floor of the guild. As they completed the flight of stairs and began to approach Master Makarov's office, Natsu caught up with Macao who started to speak to him.

"Would you like to do the honors?" Macao gestured towards the simple office door.

Natsu nodded before reaching out to grab the office's doorknob. "Well… It's time to see what Gramps been up to all these years." He sighed before turning the doorknob and entering the former Guild Master's office.

* * *

Master Makarov's office was startling simple considering the hectic everyday tasks that he normally tended to. In the middle of the room was a desk with a chair positioned behind it. Off to the sides were bookshelves that lined the walls with a giant window looking out towards the sea behind the desk.

"I can start checking the drawers on the sides of Gramp's desk." Natsu offered as he placed his crutches on the desk and began to shuffle through tax papers and other formal documents located within them.

"I can look through those books underneath his desk. If they're underneath his desk they've got to be important." Laki offered as she spotted the stack.

Macao then turned around to the rest of the guild members standing at the office's entrance. "You can all help by searching through these bookshelves. He might have hidden important and confidential items within some of the things he reads. Make sure to check behind the shelves themselves to see if Master Makarov hid anything behind them. As for me, I'm going to help Natsu look through those drawers. Remember not to leave anything unchecked. We have no idea where he hid his Will." He warned everyone with caution.

With that, the remaining Fairy Tail mages all began to scour through the office in hopes of finding something that could benefit them within their time of need. Romeo, Max, Wakaba, Kinana, Laki, Macao, Vijeeter, Jet, Droy, Nab, Reedus, Warren, Alzack, and Bisca all began to spread out and take apart the shelves that belonged to the former Guild Master.

Laki was the first to break the silence that began to settle. "THESE AREN'T IMPORTANT BOOKS AT ALL! THEY'RE MAGAZINES!" She yelped as she opened one of them and held it up so the guild members could see. Inside the pages were multiple pictures of Mirajane sprawled on top of a bed with nothing but a skimpy bikini on. All of the other members burst out in laughter which lightened the somber atmosphere. Bisca quickly covered both Kinana's and Romeo's eyes as they were standing close to her. "ALL OF THESE MAGAZINES ARE FROM SORCERER WEEKLY'S ADULT ISSUE!" Laki continued to fume in disgust.

"That's Master Makarov for you." Macao meekly smiled.

It wasn't long before Wakaba stopped laughing and disassembling the bookshelves in order to direct his attention to Macao. "Hey, how do you even know that Master Makarov even left his Will in his office?"

"I don't think he would have left anywhere else. The man is in here from sunrise to sunset on most days. Just keep searching until we find something worth our while." Macao reassured his friend.

As Laki finished tossing the stack of adult magazines into the back of the room, Natsu continued to scavenge through Master Makarov's desk drawers. "Hey Macao, I'm not having much luck in here either. All I'm finding is documented reports on guild taxes, Magic Council letters, and records on meetings and conversations that Gramps has had with the other Wizard Saints…" He trailed off towards the end.

Macao took into account his change in tone. "Did you find anything?" He questioned in hope.

Natsu shook his head in response. "That last part about meetings and conversations made me wonder… What is it did you want to talk to me about earlier today before Lahar and Mest came into our guild?" He asked while lowering his head as he was reminded of the Tenrou Group's faith.

Macao immediately approached him from the other side of the desk and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Natsu, don't worry about that right now. You heard what Mest said. What we need to worry about now is keeping the family that we have together." This caused Bisca to silently sigh in relief as she didn't agree to tell Natsu about their conversation.

"But-" Natsu was cut off.

"I said not to worry about it. If it's more important than what we're facing right now, I would have told you already."

Natsu was able to muster a small smile in response. Before Lahar and Mest interrupted their earlier conversation, Macao was able to give the Dragon Slayer enough context for him to conclude that his Nakama weren't talking behind his back. Feeling satisfied, Natsu diverted his attention from Macao to continue searching through the desk's drawers. Another silence fell upon the group as Macao returned to searching through the drawer adjacent to the one Natsu was searching through.

After no luck in finding anything of value, Natsu closed the drawer and muttered in annoyance as his lack of patience was getting the better of him. "Damnit. For all we know Gramps could have hidden his Will to keep it safe."

"Calm down Natsu. We'll find it soon. It wouldn't make sense for him to hide it in a place we couldn't access. That would defeat the purpose of it." Macao reassured the Dragon Slayer.

Before Natsu could continue his rant, he spotted a drawer hiding behind the seat that was pushed into the desk. "Hey, did anyone check this one yet?" He asked by removing the seat which revealed the central drawer.

Laki was the first to respond as she was right beneath the desk. "I didn't even see that when I was looking through Master Makarov's magazines. Nice going Natsu." She smiled up at him.

Natsu returned the smile before returning his attention to the drawer. "Hopefully this is the drawer we're looking for. It's a lot smaller and more hidden than the rest of the others." He added before reluctantly pulling the knob. As the contents of the drawer revealed itself, Natsu's hopeful smile turned into that of a frown.

"What's wrong Natsu?" Laki asked worriedly as the rest of the guild members began to surround the desk.

"There's nothing in here. There's only a blank piece of paper with a black outline of the Fairy Tail Guild Mark on it." He groaned as he slammed the drawer shut without even examining it closely.

"Wait Natsu! Did you check the back of it?" Romeo smiled with hope as he reopened the drawer and picked up the piece of parchment. As he turned it over, his smile also turned into a frown as there was nothing written on the piece of paper. The only thing on there was the outline of the Fairy Tail Guild Mark.

Macao approached his son to examine the piece of paper. "Let me see that. There's no way that's the only thing written on it." He finished as he referred to the black outline. As he took the parchment into his own hands, Macao gasped as he witnessed the outline of the Fairy Tail Guild Mark solidify into the same color of his guild mark before disappearing from the paper. Writing began to fill the entire surface once the mark completely vanished.

"Reedus?" Macao directed his attention to the Pict Mage across the desk.

"Oui?"

"Would you mind examining this and telling me if there are any spells that you can identify?" He politely asked.

"Certainly," Reedus replied before accepting the piece of paper from the blue haired mage. As he examined the guild mark, his facial expression remained completely neutral as he was able to immediately identify what caused the inscribed writing to reveal itself. He then handed the parchment back to Macao who awaited an answer.

Warren was the first to address the situation out of confusion. "Can someone please tell us what the hell is going on? I can't be the only one confused."

Reedus addressed Warren by answering Macao's original question. "The paper was inscribed using a magical stylus. The Fairy Tail Guild Mark outline on it will only disappear if a member of Fairy Tail is holding it. Once that happens, whatever content is written on it will be revealed." He calmly replied.

As Macao began to once again examine the piece of paper in his hands, the Fairy Tail Guild Mark outline began to solidify before disappearing completely and revealing a page of writing on it. The top of the paper was titled "Will and Testament" which caused Macao to smile.

"This is it, guys." He reassured the group which lightened the anxious mood.

Natsu was the first to comment. "Using a magical stylus was a really smart thing to do. That way Gramps didn't need to worry about hiding it in a place that would be suspicious for an intruder looking for it. Hell, even I thought it was a blank piece of paper with our Guild Mark on it." He then directed his attention towards Romeo standing beside him. "Way to go buddy! Good thing you picked it up or we would have never found what we're looking for."

"Thanks Natsu… But why wasn't I able to see what was written on there?" Romeo sighed with sadness.

"It's probably because you're not an official Fairy Tail member until you get your Guild Mark." Natsu replied as he ruffled the young boy's hair.

"That's true Natsu. Now what does it say on there Macao?" Wakaba encouraged the blue haired mage to read what was written on the paper as everyone had their attention diverted to him.

Macao cleared his throat and took a quick glance to ensure everyone was paying attention before reading the Will out loud. "In the event that I am unable to continue my duties as the Guild Master of Fairy Tail, I hereby declare my successor to be…" Before he could announce the name, Macao hesitated as he was having trouble reading the writing.

"C'mon old man. We're dying over here! Tell us the name already." Natsu practically begged.

"I would but there's a problem… I can't read it because the name is scratched out." Macao said as he handed the Will over to Natsu so he could see.

Natsu took a few moments to analyze the scratched out portion before continuing for Macao. "I think the name says Ivan Dreyar."

"Oh that isn't good." Wakaba commented.

"What? Isn't Ivan Gramp's son?"

"Yeah but the two of them haven't spoken in years. He was originally a guild member back when Laxus was a younger teenager. Ivan was removed from Fairy Tail when Master Makarov…"

"When Gramps what?" Natsu questioned.

"Actually… Master Makarov never mentioned why he removed Ivan from the guild." Wakaba frowned.

"If that's the case then I'll keep on reading what's written here. I think there's more on the second line." Natsu responded as he made sure everyone was still paying attention. He cleared his throat before continuing for Macao. "In the event that the previous condition no longer applies, I hereby declare my successor to be…" Natsu paused as he cringed at the name written.

"Don't tell me, is it also scratched out?" Kinana asked worriedly.

Natsu shook his head in response before completing the line. "Laxus Dreyar." He uttered.

"I think we can all agree on that being out of the question. Does it say anything else on there Natsu?" Wakaba chuckled.

"In the event that none of the mentioned conditions apply, I hereby declare my successor to be the guild member with the greatest compassion, most wisdom, and above all: the ability to understand his or her Nakama." Natsu finished as he looked up in shock. The guild members present began to survey each other for some sort of reaction.

"Is… Is there anything else on there Natsu?" Macao questioned.

"Not that I can see."

"Then I suggest we should head back down to the guild. We've all been through a lot since Natsu woke up so we should probably call it a day. We can decide what we do with Master Makarov's office belongings in the morning. Just leave the books neatly where you placed them." Macao instructed before heading to the door.

"Oi! Old man! Did you already forget that we need a new Guild Master? Shouldn't it be you since Gramps left you in charge?" Natsu called out before grabbing his crutches and following the group out of the office.

"He might have left me in charge, but that doesn't mean I have the qualities of being Guild Master. We'll figure this mess out in the morning. Mest said we had 30 days before Fairy Tail is disbanded and we've already made lots of progress. What we need right now is rest if we want to make tomorrow anywhere close to productive as today was." He answered as the group traveled back towards the stairwell.

"Damn Macao! Wisdom is a check. Now, all we need is compassion and an ability to understand." Wakaba joked and caught up to him before leaning in slightly to whisper one more part into his ear. "And considering our conversation we had this morning at the bar, I would say you understand our guild enough to be the new Guild Master."

"Wakaba, I understand what we talked about, but I don't understand a solution to it. So how can I say that I understand us at all? That's half the battle. Believe me, I won't be the person you'd want for Guild Master." He whispered back as he entered the first floor with the rest of the group behind him.

While the rest of the members were getting prepared to leave the guild, Natsu fell back towards the end of the group as the entire time since he read the Will, something kept pestering him.

" _The ability to understand his or her Nakama."_ Natsu recited within his mind from the Will.

This led him to remembering what Porlyusica told him earlier this morning. " _Just because some of your members rarely visit doesn't make them less important than the ones you see on an everyday basis."_

Finally, he recalled what Erza told him in the infirmary a couple of days back before she left for Tenrou Island. _"A_ _s_ _I said before, just approach your situation from another angle. I mean, I don't go around every day thinking that Rob and Simon are dead. I remember that I live on because of them."_

It all made sense now.

"All right Guys, let's close up the guild." Macao rubbed his temples as he quieted everyone down.

Just before everyone could say their heartfelt goodbyes for the evening, Natsu stated his realization out loud as his eyes widened. "I know what you were talking about at the bar." Natsu smiled at Macao who turned around to meet his gaze.

"What was that Natsu?" Macao said as he misheard him. The entire group directed their attention to the duo as Natsu began to speak.

"I have it figured out. You know? That conversation you had with Wakaba, Kinana, Bisca, and Alzack. It wasn't until Gramps said something about it in his Will did I realize what you were talking about in your conversation. Porlyusica mentioned something about it when I was in the infirmary earlier this morning because I asked her if she was a member of Fairy Tail. I was able to connect the two and whatever context you gave me about your conversation before Lahar and Mest burst into our guild. But... You guys deserve more attention than what Gramps gave you. Just because some of Fairy Tail's members rarely visit or don't interact with others as much doesn't make them any less important than the ones you see on an everyday basis." Natsu concluded using all the brainpower he could muster.

"What?" Macao's eyes widened at Natsu's response.

"I mean… I think that's what it's about. You guys might be thinking that Gramps and the Tenrou Group didn't view you with the same amount as they viewed me or most of the other well known Fairy Tail members, but that's not true. The thing is, that's not as easy for most of us since we view our friendships with each other as physical aspects… I think that means like in the moment or something like that. Porlyusica was the one to tell me that just because I don't see you guys as often doesn't mean you're not as important as a guild member. But that's something I feel like Gramps, me, and most of the other well-known Fairy Tail members overlooked which is why I tried hanging out with so many of you today. It's not fair that I got to form a stronger bond with Gramps compared to you guys which is why Bisca said I wouldn't understand what you guys are feeling. It's not about giving you guys attention when you need it, like when Macao was stuck on Mt. Hakobe," Natsu paused slightly to jokingly nudge his head towards the blue haired mage standing in utter awe, "It's about giving you guys attention… WHEN YOU DON'T NEED IT!"

"Nuh- No way." Macao began to grow emotional from hearing Natsu."

I know it can't make up for the lost time you can no longer have with Gramps, but you guys are my family and it's time I acted like it. Erza said something to me before she left for Tenrou Island' there's a reason why I wasn't able to go on the S-Class exams. Maybe it was so… So I was able to tell you that it's time that I started viewing you the way you all wished that Gramps did."

Natsu wept slightly as he remembered his deceased Nakama before continuing. "We're… We're to move on from this. We all lost people important to us. Jet and Droy lost Levy, Macao and Wakaba lost Cana, and I lost my team and my own son. But Erza was eventually able to free herself from her past when she couldn't save Simon, Jellal, or Rob from the Tower of Heaven! So… What makes us any different from her?! It might be today, tomorrow, or years from now, but we need to listen to what she said to me and move on from what we're facing. And that starts… by devoting our attention to each other!" Natsu paused as he was panting really heavily from running himself short of breath. "Suh… Sorry for pausing so much in there. I was kind of making up the words I was saying as I spoke." He rubbed his hair sheepishly. Natsu had stopped crying the moment he remembered what Erza told him. There was no need for tears. Sure, the future wouldn't be the same without his closest Nakama, but it was time he focused on the ones he had with him right now.

Every single guild member was bawling their eyes out and the beautiful speech Natsu gave them. The only one who wasn't was Romeo who was currently jumping up and down on one of the bar's stools. Macao completely fell to his knees in front of Natsu as he could no longer support his own weight. Wakaba and Bisca stood completely dumbfounded as they were still conflicting with their conscious as to whether or not this could all be coming from Natsu of all people. All the other guild members rushed to Natsu and embraced him in a tight hug completely ignoring Macao still on his knees while Wakaba, Bisca, and Alzack stood in shock.

"Nat… Natsu… That was amazing!" Warren patted his shoulder with Laki agreeing with him.

"Where did you learn to give a speech like that?" Kinana teased from below him.

"Now let's put those emotions into some dance moves!" Vijeeter cheered.

"He still can't use his leg Vijeeter." Max groaned.

Before the embracing could get carried away, Macao was able to stagger back to his feet and rush to the small crowd around Natsu. "Give him some room to breathe guys! Make sure you're not bumping his leg." He warned as the group around the young Dragon Slayer slowly began to dissipate upon hearing Macao's words.

"Thanks for that old man." Natsu sighed in relief.

"No Natsu. I should… I mean… We should be thanking you for understanding us."

"It was the least I could do considering how you probably felt all these years."

"It wasn't the least you could do Natsu, it means more to us than you'll ever know." Macao smiled as he placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You should get some rest Natsu. Porlyusica is going to be here early tomorrow to continue your physical therapy."

"PORLYUSICA!" Natsu gasped as his eyes shot open. "She doesn't know what happened to Gramps and the rest of the Tenrou group."

"It's all right. We'll close up the guild now and tell her over Lacrima before she comes in tomorrow so you don't have to see her reaction. The more rest you get tonight, the more likely you'll be able to walk tomorrow."

"Only if you're okay with it." Natsu replied skeptically before heading back to the staircase leading to the infirmary.

"It'll be fine. We'll see you in the morning Natsu. Remember, if you need anything, you still have that Lacrima if you don't have the energy to use your crutches."

"All right old man. I'm going to suffer from more infirmary rations in the meantime. Goodnight everyone. Just remember what I said if you start to think about the Tenrou Group." Natsu waved with his crutch before making his way down the infirmaries staircase.

" **GOODNIGHT NATSU!** " The group called back as they saw the Dragon Slayer make his way down the staircase.

As they heard the closing of the infirmary's door resound throughout the guild hall, Bisca was the first to break the silence. "You were sure eager to get rid of Natsu considering how much you wanted to tell him about our conversation earlier." Bisca joked towards Macao.

"And you thought that he wouldn't understand how we felt," Macao responded with a confident smirk before getting serious. "Anyways, I had to get him to leave somehow."

"What do you mean?"

"I think I know the perfect candidate for our next Guild Master. I honestly don't know how Natsu would react to it and I didn't want to risk him straining his body any more than he already has. I mean, he nearly fractured his leg again when he fell over earlier today. But that speech he just made me consider something…" Macao paused as he inhaled before suggesting his next statement. "I want Natsu to be the 4th Guild Master of Fairy Tail."

* * *

Thank you for your time!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't kill me for the whole "cliché Master Natsu" path this is taking. I already have the next couple of chapters mapped out in my head and can confidently confirm that his role as Guild Master IS GOING to contribute to the theme here. This isn't some title that Natsu walks around with like a badass getting mad respect. He's going to gain knowledge from this experience. That's all I can really say about the upcoming chapters otherwise I would be spoiling too much for you guys. I hope to see you guys then!


End file.
